New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-12
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS READ.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY MEETING ENDS.
MANY TOPICS DISCUSSED BY wELI-KNowN AUTHOR
IIIEs-AtE ID II 4

MANI IoflCs DISCUSSED BY WELL-kNOWN AUTHOR
ITiFs-MEMBERs WHO HAVE DIED.
The closing session OF the National Academy OF
scences. which held yesterday at Columbia College,
was perhaps the most interesting OF the series that
occupied the greater part OF the week. Unfortunately
In view OF this fact the attendance smaller than
on any OF the previous day several OF the members
had accepted invitation from Professor Edison to
visit MEMO Park.
The session opened with an interesting paper by
lessor W. =. Trowbridgc a Discovery Recently
Made In Connection with the Flight OF Birds"
Can BIRDS sLNEP on TIE wINGf
inc professor said that it had always puzzled him to
see how the muscular necessary keep birds
the wing long they remain could he possible
and he then explained the recent discovery. which Is
that birds OF prey and others have the power to
lock securely together those parts of the wing holding
the eNtencd feathers and corresponding the fingers
OF the human hand. The action Of the air the wing in
this condition extends the elbow. which is prevented
from opening too far by cartilage and the wings may
Keep this position for indefinite length OF time with
no muscular action whatever the part of the bird
While resting In this the bird cannot rSc. in still
atmosphere but If there he horizontal current IT may
allow Itself to bc carried along by it, with slight ten
dcncy downward, and so gain momentum by which.
with slight change OF direction. IT may rise to some
tent still without muscular action OF the wings The
professor also believed 1t quite possible for bird to
lcep on the wing ,
that he had once shot bird which came slowly to the
ground il s'ill nying but reached 1t dead He be-
cvcd that had de high in the air. but he had
been able the Of ts descent till
now, when he found explanation in the statement OF
Professor Trowbndgc
REACHING THE LIMIT OF GOLD Production.
Professor Ncwberry next real paper on The Future
of Gold and Silver Productions" Beginning with gold,
he said that he hal spent part OF nearly every summer
since lN5j among the mines of the West ana he be-
lcvcd that the production Of the United states was
past H. maximum The present annual production
$4,000 900. In the northern parts OF the
mountains Of the West there is probably gold ana it
be hoped that a considerable contribution 10 the
gold of the world viii made this region. There
no important deposits OF gold in Mexico The west
coast ~ South America rich In silver. il poor In
gold 1t IL likely that the ancient Inhabitants pract
caly exhausted the supply. and the images OF this metal
which they buried the dead have been sought with
some success. The product Of Europe is about
S5O.oOOOOO annually. than three fourhs OF which
l. from the Ura Mountains. The professor SAID
We need not expect any such quantities OF gold "a
noocl the world IRON California. Australia and Nrw
ZEALAND bat 1t may be hoped that the present rlodnc-
The problems of silver production for the future seem
production amounting 10 more tnan G'OOO millions OF
dollar. since the dis oycry OF America aud 1t Is likely
io,.f fro, in the w"rlI and II /. cs,imstod hat they
p1ratitey littir.fol many years.
Professor Ncwhcrry said that disturbances in tho
financial world from the south American mines need not
he feared. Ind he 10 danger OF financial disaster
from either under production OF gold or silver
The secretary rcida paper by Professor : T. Langley
on Tie Temperature Of the Moon, showing that the
temperature Of the sun surface was much lower iIn
hls supposed being probably not over % degrees
ccnugrIdc.
Professor Theodore Gu presented \ Comparison Of
Autipoi4l I'luan."
DEPOSITS or coal II THIS CpJNIEN'
Dr 4 Hill gave discussion " on the Constant OF
Abcrration showing the methods AMI results of five
yr,r.' ob-cr, ou. ~ Alpha Lynn AMI Professor New
berry followed with second paper ,criPtivc ~ Tie
Cr,i ,ccou, Goals ~ North America" lie Illustrated hs
remark, with maps. drawings AMI specimens and
showed That there are wat deposits ol coal IN inc
vc.f,r, part Of the United states and especially IN
Colorado lie said it 'hc supply Wa valuable ohr'
and the whole future OF the West depends on the
use ado ~ these Goals -,
After the reading 81 tho pIpers the president FRO
f..or Marsh announced the ir th a. Two member OF
ila Academy since TIE .lsi meeting The hrsi was Pio
lessor Spencer 3 Hair Secretary Of the 7m.ih*"i an
Institute died ia August ~ ti- wear Ilrsldrut
Mar.l appointed Dr j. Billings 10 prepare an ohit
uary memoir The second death was That OF foreign
associate member. Professor -. II. kircAhon ~ Berlin
which occurred ON october y
The Academy gave vote ~ THANKS 10 l'rt~ldch'
barnard AMI the Trustees Of columbia COLLEGE for
cpurtcsir, EXTENDED duiu, the session, AMI ADJOURNED
The ngRf meeting viii Zee hrld ~ Washington Oh mo
thirl IHf.lI, DO Apfli. J., r. luifcd hy Law.